On the 25th of May 2023, the NATO Security Force Assistance Centre (NATO SFA COE) hosted the first Steering Committee meeting of the year.
For the first time, in addition to the representatives of the Sponsoring Nations (Albania, Italy and Slovenia), a delegation from Austria was present, as new “Contributing Participant” member.
After the Chairman CV Raffaele Rodriguez‘s welcome and the official approval of the agenda, the Director of the NATO SFA COE, Col. Massimo Di Pietro, thanked all the participants and provided an update on the most relevant activities of the Centre and its paramount role related to the new NATO Strategic Concept.
Afterwards, the staff of the COE presented the status of the ongoing projects for the current year and the main activities planned for 2024, illustrating the related financial planning.
Amongst the important projects that were presented, particularly noteworthy was the planned creation of a new course. It will be designed in close collaboration with the Italian Defence Higher Studies Centre (CASD) and Security and Freedom for Europe (SAFE). Intended for European Union personnel employed in the Advising and Training Mission (EUTM), it will be part of the program to consolidate the partnership between NATO and the EU.
Furthermore, a new editorial project was proposed in collaboration with the Legal Office of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) and the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) in Sanremo. It is entitled “Stabilization and Reconstruction in a Post-Conflict Scenario” and will analyse the instability factors and the best possible practices to support the resilience of the areas affected by a crisis.
At the end of the meeting, the foreign delegations had the opportunity to visit the Historical Museum of Vigna di Valle (Bracciano), where the oldest hydro basin in Italy stood, which was recently renewed on the occasion of the centenary of the establishment of the Italian Air Force.
During the visit, the participants were able to admire a vast multipurpose area with exhibitions of engines, uniforms, and memorabilia, educational areas, exhibition halls, as well as a multimedia area with flight simulators and virtual reality.
The day’s events confirmed the international relevance of NATO SFA COE which is constantly committed to offering concrete support to NATO and Partners by providing assistance and support in the field of Security Force Assistance and, more generally, within Defence Capacity Building activities.
